Lead inspection
Need for lead inspection
Why is lead in paint and lead dust a cause of worry? Many homes and offices, especially the older ones, are coated in lead based paint. The Australian Standard (AS 4361.2:2017) for hazardous paint management was updated in December 2017 and the safe concentration standard of lead in paints was reduced from 1.0% to 0.1%. With the revised standards, surfaces painted and structures built prior to 1997, may now be defined as lead containing. Over 3.5 million homes in Australia will fall under this category! Even while buying a property and knocking down the old structures present, or when renovating a home, it can create a lead hazard.
One can be exposed to lead present on surfaces subject to impact or friction such as doors, windows and railings as well as on walls where the paint is flaking and chipping. Paint removal by dry scraping, blasting, dry sanding and using power tools creates lead dust. It poses the most threat as the particles are small enough to be inhaled or ingested easily. In situ dust can be disturbed during day to day activities. Complete removal of lead dust is very tedious; it has been shown to remain in carpets for over three years after renovations. The dust can contaminate garden soil and adjacent properties as well.